Keith Emerson featuring Marc Bonilla
Live @ Fnac, 13.09.2008

THE REVIEW

I almost missed it.  

Well, they didn't really promote it much... the events at Fnac usually feature artists of a general medium level, but every now and then a big shot emerges.

 In this case, the shot wasn't just big but enormous, yes indeed, Keith Emerson performed for just over a hundred people crammed into that cubicle known as the Fnac meeting room. 

The acoustics were terrible and the heat, thanks to the humidity, made the place one of the worst to spend the afternoon, but luckily the good Emerson not only managed to move those present but also made them forget the oven they were trapped in.

 His presence was due to the presentation of his new album, "Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla".

 To be honest, I haven't listened to the album and I don't think I will, the two little songs played live only reinforced my opinion that the glory days of ELP are indeed unreachable. Fortunately, besides the aforementioned two songs, Emerson delighted the audience with the entire suite of Tarkus supported by a good Marc Bonilla, who although technically superior to Lake on the guitar, managed to maintain a high level of vocal performance with strong folk-rock tones.

 This was followed by From The Beginning and a splendid Bitches Crystal, frenetic keyboards striking the spectator only to bring them back to a sort of mystical tranquility through the flights of Tarkus, excellent guitar in From The Beginning, and finally a good chemistry in Bitches Crystal that revived moments of the past in my mind for a few seconds.

At the end of the show, I'm happy and can only imagine what it must have been like to attend an ELP concert. I feel a slight twinge of melancholy... but two autographed CDs and a photo with Emerson satisfy me like a child receiving the best Christmas present they could ever wish for.